Heather MacPherson

Born in Moncton on July 31, 1952, Heather was the daughter of the late William John (Jack) and Olive (Cumming) Bigelow. Despite moving frequently throughout her childhood, Heather always considered Charlottetown, PEI her home, and made many friends wherever she went.

Heather met her husband Archie, initially her statistics tutor, in 1976 and they were married in 1978. They spent thirty-seven loving, fun-filled years together, raising two wonderful sons and traveling the world with friends and family.

Heather graduated from the PEI School of Nursing in 1975 and then earned a Bachelor of Nursing degree at Dalhousie University in 1978. She worked at the IWK, VG, and Northwood. Most of all, her professional love was teaching at the Halifax Infirmary School of Nursing, where she exemplified professionalism, compassion, and patience.

She loved to entertain and was always the life of the party. She could light up a room with her confidence and contagious smile. Heather’s light, laughter and wit will be especially missed when doing the morning crossword puzzle, on shopping trips, on summer nights at the cottage in PEI, in the winter sunshine in Florida, and around the dinner table on Sunday’s. Heather had a great sense of style and fashion, and was the savviest of shoppers.

Heather was always more concerned with the well-being and happiness of those around her than her own, as was demonstrated by her many years of volunteering with the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, Canadian Diabetes Association, Bedford United Church, CNIB and SPCA. Heather and Ian went to Ghana in 2008, where she volunteered in an orphanage for two months and was affectionately known as “Momma Akosua”.

Above all Heather was most proud of, and committed to, her two sons, to whom she dedicated most of her life. Both followed her into the health professions, with Mark a Dentist and Ian a Medical Doctor. Her spirit will live on through them in every way.

She is survived by her loving husband Archie, sons Ian (Jordan Elizabeth), St. John’s, NL and Mark (Ann), Halifax; sister Wendy and brother-in-law Bruce, New Minas; nephew David; niece Sarah (Jamie); great-niece, Clover and great-nephew, Jack.

Visitation will take place at the J.A. Snow Funeral Home at 339 Lacewood Drive in Halifax on May 21, from 2 to 5 pm and from 7 to 9 pm. A celebration of Heather’s life will take place at the Bedford United Church on May 22 at 2 pm with Rev David Hart officiating. In lieu of flowers, donations can be to the Capital Health Palliative Care Service, the SPCA or the charity of your choice.

We would like to thank the caring staff at the Nova Scotia Cancer Centre, especially Drs. Madelaine Plourde, Wojciech Morzycki and Liam Mulroy, as well as the nursing staff of 6A and B at the VG, palliative care services and VON for their exemplary care and compassion.